


After Max

by theonetruenorth



Series: Shadowhunters headcanons [5]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Embedded Images, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-04-14
Packaged: 2018-06-02 05:43:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6553312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theonetruenorth/pseuds/theonetruenorth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec keeps it together, for a long time, knowing that his parents are a mess, that Izzy is slowly killing herself with guilt and he doesn’t know how to help other than by being strong for her. He needs to help, he <i>needs</i> to, but he doesn’t know how.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After Max

**Author's Note:**

> Please keep in mind that this is probably canon-inaccurate, because:  
> a) I’ve only read the first two books and base the rest of my knowledge about the book events off wiki and other third-hand parties  
> b) I’ve tried to keep the canon as vague as possible since we don’t know when/if/how the show is going to handle this.
> 
> Prompt from @poisson-party

  


Alec keeps it together, for a long time, knowing that his parents are a mess, that Izzy is slowly killing herself with guilt and he doesn’t know how to help other than by being strong for her. He needs to help, he _needs_ to, but he doesn’t know how.

He feels disconnected for the longest while, for days and weeks afterwards. He doesn’t know what to do, what to feel.All that he bottled up inside ends up exploding out anyways, forcing him to run to Magnus’ apartment in the middle of the night after another evening of hearing Izzy sob her heart out. He’s there, in the pouring rain, pounding furiously on Magnus’ door in the hope of waking the warlock up.

Magnus opens his door. Alec couldn’t remember a time where the man denied him anything.

“How do I fix this?” He manages to get out, his voice hoarse and scratchy, like he hasn’t used it in weeks. He doesn’t elaborate but Magnus seems to get it anyway. “Help me, _please.”_

Alec is soaked through and trembling for reasons unrelated to the cold. Magnus looks confused at first and then concerned and Alec feels himself fraying at the edges. He stumbles inside, loses his footing and goes down. But Magnus is there to catch him - of course he fucking is - lowering them both to the floor so that Alec doesn’t smash his face in on the expensive tiles. Magnus doesn’t say anything, except to ask him if he’s alright. And Alec is not, how could he be - _his baby brother is dead_ \- and there are sounds coming out of him that he would be mortified by later on, the hysterics that start with self-deprecating laughter and end up with great heaving sobs and gasps that don’t give him enough air.

Magnus holds him, lets Alec run out of steam and slump in his hold like a rag doll. Then there is a whisper of a spell caressing his ear and Alec falls into the comforting blackness of unconsciousness.

When he wakes it can’t be more than an hour or two later and he’s in Magnus’ bed, dry and comfortable under the luxurious sheets, naked apart from the boxers that probably belong the warlock. He is laying on his side and Magnus is plastered to his back and he’s warm. So deliciously, wonderfully warm and Alec can’t help but to wriggle around in his embrace until he’s facing the other man. Magnus is watching him, his feline eyes tracking in the half-lit room every inhale and exhale that Alec makes.

Alec doesn’t have any more tears left, it seems he’s used them all up by now. Magnus raises a hand to Alec’s cheek, resting it there, and gives him a long, tender kiss.

“It’s not your job to fix everything.” The warlock tells him, rubbing his thumb along Alec’s cheekbone, somewhat more prominent than ever, like the hunter forgot to eat the last few weeks. Knowing him, it was probably true. “There’s nothing you _can_ fix, since none of it is your fault.”

“I know.” Alec replies, closing his eyes.

“No, I don’t think you do.” Magnus sighs, shifting a little so that he can pull Alec in closer and press his lips against Alec’s forehead. “But I’ll keep reminding you until you do get it. However long that takes.”

**Author's Note:**

> Every fic in this series is first posted to my tumblr and I upload it to AO3 with a delay. If you want to read my stories as soon as I finish them, follow me there: theonetruenorth.tumblr.com
> 
> Beta-read by [brizzbee](http://brizzbee.tumblr.com/)


End file.
